Toy railroad.



T. 0. SPELLING.

TOY RAILROAD.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 8, 1914.

Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

l nl S THE NDRRJS PETERS CO., PHOTOIJTHO., WASHINGTON, Il C.

i niioss.

unirse s'rafrns ra'rnivr orties.

'I HoivriisY CARL siennnine, oi new YORK, n. Y.

' 'rev` RAILROAD.

T0 all whom t may concern Beit knownthat LTHoi/ms C. Summits,

citizen of the United States, residingat New York,rin the county of New York and State' geographical representations spread overy the surface of the base upon which said tracks are laid to cause the cars to travel through or past such representations in a predetermined course.

. Necessarily in a device such as above outlined, tlie tracks are quite small, the curvatures and bends of the track rails in instances relatively sharp or abrupt, and the cars are at times too light in weight to overcome the usual tendency thereof to 'jump the' rails, especially when under speedy p-ropul-fV sion.

' With the foregoing in mind, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide improved means cooperating with the cars and tracks to maintain the cars on Vtheir rails throughout the entire travel thereof, and to this advantageous end, the pre* ferred embodiment of the invention comprehends the furnishing of the car with a pair of shoes, or ,equivalent devices, adapted to engage the under surface of the tread portions of the rails whenever the tendencies of the car is to leave the rails and thus overcome such tendency, consequently retaining the car in normal operative position. Conveniently this embodiment of the invention embraces yins'trumentalities carrying said lshoesin a inannerpermitting the ready introduction of the slices beneaththe rails, and removalthereof away from association with the rails when it maybe the desire or necessity to bodily remove the car for storage as in shipping, for purposes 'of repair, &c.

The details of the construction and arrangement of parts will befapparent from the specific description hereinafter given,

when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof,

Y y Specicatioii of Letters Patent; Patented Sept, 15 1914, Appiicaiion inea June s, isili. serial iro. 843,766.

and wherein several embodimentsv of the iiii vention are illustrated. W In the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of the base portion of my improved device;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the same,

and a car thereon; Fig?) is an enlarged sectional view `of the means for retaining the',y

car on its track, and,fFig. 4l is a similar view l of a somewhat modified construction.

' ln the drawings,wwherein like reference characters designate corresponding .parts in the several views, and lfirst with particular reference to Figs. 1,2 and 3, Arepresents a base, or what may properly be styled a roadbed,rthe same being of any suitable outline, preferably formed of square sections a, designed to be separatedfor packing, &c., and secured in adjoining positions to constitute a completedV wholeby `any convenient fasten- -ing devices, indicated at B.V

ii my prior structure above noted, I formed the base-of wood bearing a surface of plastic molded in keeping with the topography intended to be ldepicted thereby, but as an improvement over such idea, the base sections here Varepressed from sheet metal sheet while similarly presenting topographical formations where desired or expedient, represented in ageneral way at C. v

The sheet metal base sections are grooved,

Vas atl), to provide what may be called the roadbed, said grooves following the circuitous path to betravelcd by the cars and havingvertical side walls E arranged at a distance apart somewhat greater than the distance between the car wheels F supporting the car body, represented at. G. The purpose of these vertical side walls E is Vto fasten and support thev track rails H there-- against, Vsaid rails having vertical webs 71,

so ythat the same may be-formed of a single the grooves D, for reasons to presently ap- .A

vupper face, and arranged normally directly beneath the tread portionoie the rails H, in position to engage the latter should'the' .car

The shoes J are mountedon downwardly bowed offset extensions K, of upright bars L supported fromV the car G byY being 'slidably mounted upon a cross rod M having squared ends m fastened in the opposite side walls of. the car, an expansions'pring iTVV 1 sleeved upon said rod thrusting the bars L the separation of said bars andv consequentlyY the-opening, ,intermediateror Ythe opposite,

outwardly, andV nuts. O threaded upon the rods youtsidethe bars adjustably limiting the separation of the shoes d.

The upper ends ofthe bars Lv indicated at vP areturned outwardly and passed tliro'i'i-ghthe sidewalls of thecar at p, and provided with knobs @or the like adaptedv Lto be engagedv bythe thumb'and finger of an operator Y,topress the bars inwardly toward each other, against the force of the spring N, lto correspondingly carry the `shoes J awayffrombelow; the rail treads, and permittingj'withdrawal of 'theishoes through rails when the'car is lifted-"from the track,

cars, while permitting the intended sliding movement thereoil overthe-cross-rod"in .the

application or retraction of theV relative tothe track rails. Y

'The' adjustment of the. parts hereinafter deiined issuch that the shoes J do notV engage the webs Vh of the rails, while said shoesY J,

shoes occupy a position close enough to the' normally any appreciable frictional-retardf treads of the rails to properly perform their car-retaining function without presenting ing contact between the shoes and said treads. e'

y In the'vd'evice thusifandescribed, the retaining mechanism, although located close toV the'wheels of the car, are oiiset slightly with referenceto said wheels, in the directionof travel of the car, so .as not to have the ianges of the wheels in the pathbif movement of the shoes in the application or withdrawal of the same. Y However, in some instances", it is desirable tohave'the retaining shoes directly below the peripheral bearing point of the wheels, to insure against canting of thel car lengthwise of `the rails, and to this end I have suggested that embodiment of myinvention illustrated in the remaining View of .the drawings, Yto wit, Fig. 4.' Here I present a structure involv- "the shoes R. Y y Y Y. t `The upper outer eiidsof the leversv Tv pro- Y.

andfoifthe same hereinbeiore described. l

ing a retainer mechanism capable. not onlyof anv inward movement in the withdrawing operation, but also ofV a downward move-v tend to leave said rails, thereby overcoming such tendency and maintaining the car. in. constant operative association with the rails. Y

ment to escape the flange of the traction wheel; thefsame being accomplished by supporting the retaining shoes R ,uponl downwardly-bowedlower ends S of crossed-levers. l'I` pivotally mounted. lupon the car throughthe medium of ja pivot pin U, the t loweifv portions of tha-lever and the shoes :being thrust ap artnormally,by1 a `spring V interposed betweenthe Yupper portions of the levers and carriedby a concentricv rod TN pivoted to one or'` said upper Vportions and at its threaded end passingffreely through the other to be engaged by an adjustable nut l limitingthe spreading of the leveisvandliiicidentally fixingthe ,relative positions-'fotV I ject through slots Y inthe sidesoffrthe car and areprovided with knobs Z similar to purpose as the knobs Q While I have herein pointed out two Yembodiments of the invention, it will be understood by persons-skilled in the art that said invention is capable of embodiment Vin still other forms and devicesas may be-inkeep- Ving with the hereto appended claims.

Y f I will not claimherein the derailinent Vde- `vice inasmuch astheV same more properly constitutes subject matter for a'divisional application.

Ha'vingfthus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1.1InV a toy railroad, a base supporting suitable track members, Vsaid 'base having Vtopographical representations bordering the track members iormedby integral portions` of said base.V Y

2.v In a toy railroad,'abasejsupporting suitable traclninembers, saidv base having t' topographical representations' bordering the",v track members formed by Aintegral portions oic said base, the base being of sheet metal,

and said integral portions being pressedV therefrom.

8. In a toy railroad, a sectional base`supporting suitabie track members,said base porting suitable track: members, said' base -having topographical representations bor dering the track members formedby integral portions of said base, thebase'being of sheet metal-,Wand said integral vportionsV being pressed therefrom."

v5. In a toy railroad, a base formedwith integral depressed portions constituting-'a road bed having parallel side walls,of^trac`k 'members-.laid in said depressed portions and having web portions lying directly against said side walls, in combination with means for securing the track members and side walls in said engaging relation, substantially as described. 6. In a toy railroad, a base formed with grooves constituting a roadbed, track members laid in said grooves and connected to the opposite side walls of the grooves.

7. In a toy railroad, a sheet metal base formed with integral grooved portions constituting a roadbed, and track members laid in said grooved portions and connected to the opposite side walls of the grooved portions.

8. In a toy railroad, a base formed with grooves constituting a roadbed, track members laid in said grooves and fastened to the opposite side walls of the grooves, the track members comprising rails having web portions lying against said side walls and tread portions offset therefrom.

9. In a toy railroad, a sheet metal base formed with integral grooved portions constituting a roadbed, track members laid in the grooved portions and fastened to the opposite side walls of the grooved portions, the track members comprising rails having web portions lying against said side walls and tread portions offset therefrom.

10. In a toy railroad, a base formed with grooves constituting a roadbed, track members laid in said grooves and fastened to the opposite side walls of the grooves, the track members comprising rails having web portions lying against said side walls, and tread portions offset therefrom by bend ing the web portions inwardly and thence outwardly, substantially as described.

11. In a toy railroad, a sheet metal base formed with integral .grooved portions constituting a roadbed, track members laid in the grooved portions and fastened to the opposite side walls of the grooved portions, the track members comprising rails having web portions lying' against said side walls, and tread portions offset therefrom by bending the web portions inwardly and thence outwardly, substantially as described.

12. In a toy railroad, a base formed with integral depressed portions constituting a roadbed, and track members laid in said depressed portions, the tread portions of said track members being substantially flush ljyith the adjoining upper surface of the ase.

13. In a toy railroad, a base formed with integral depressed portions constituting a roadbed, and track members laid in said depressed portions, the tread portions of said track members being substantially flush with the adjoining upper surface of the base, andl fastening means between the base and track members located below the said upper surface of the base.

14. In a toy railroad, a base formed with grooves constituting a kroadbed, and track members laid in said grooves, and fastening means between a wall of the grooved portions and the track members.

15. In a toy railroad, a base formed with grooves constituting a roadbed, track members laid in said grooves, and fastening means between portions of the grooved'portions and the track members located below the upper surface of the base.

16. In a toy railroad, a base formed with grooves constituting a roadbed, and track members laid in said grooves substantially coextensive therewith.

17. In a toy railway, a base formed with grooves constituting a roadbed, track members laid vin said grooves in pairs, one adjacent each side wall of the grooved portions, and each track member Ahaving an inwardly-turned tread flange, substantially as described.

18. In a toy railway, a base formed with grooves constituting a roadbed, track members laid in said grooves in pairs, one adjacent each side wall of the grooved portions, and,each track member having an inwardly-turned. tread flange overhanging unobstructed spaces therebelow, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

THOMAS CARL SPELLING.

Witnesses BERNARD ROBINSON, F. FRIEDLING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, 'by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,110,655, granted September 15, 1914, upon the application of Thomas Carl Spelling, of New York, N. Y., for an improvement in Toy Railroads, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 76, strike out the comma, Words, and reference-letter indicated at B, and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oiiice. A

Signed and sealed this 20th day of October, A. D., 1914.

[SEAL] J. T. NEWTON,

Acting Commissz'omr of Patents.

Correction in Letters Patent No. 1,110,655. 

